TV Directing Study Finds Little Improvement In Job Diversity

The DGA conducted an analysis of over 270 scripted series, finding that the hiring of first-time directors "perpetuated the status quo."

White men still hold the advantage in TV directing jobs, a new DGA study shows, with an analysis of over 270 scripted series indicating that 2014-15 episodic directing slots were 84 percent male and 82 percent Caucasian.

Those figures represent scant change from the previous season: the female share of jobs was up two percent, while the minority share dropped by one percent. Meanwhile, hiring of first-time directors “perpetuated the status quo,” said the DGA, at 84 percent male and 84 percent Caucasian.

But the number of scripted episodes increased by 10 percent, from 3,562 in the previous season to 3,910 in 2014-15. That meant that women and minorities directed more episodes in absolute terms than they had in 2013-14.

“The uptick in the number of episodes directed by women – modest but hopeful – is just a drop in the bucket of what needs to be done by studios, networks and showrunners before we can begin to realize equal opportunities in television for our members,” said DGA president Paris Barclay. “With so many more episodes and work opportunities, employers should seize the opportunity for diversity with their choices, especially when it comes to first-time episodic directors.”

Shows on the DGA’s “Worst Of” list included such series as HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, FXX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Showtime’s Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan, all of which hired no female or minority directors, according to the DGA.

The “Best Of” list included a number of series from BET and such series as Fox’s Empire and ABC’s American Crime.

The complete lists are below.

Said Barclay, “without employers making a concerted effort to bringing a more diverse mix of new entrants to the hiring pool, we won’t see meaningful and lasting change.”

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DGA’s “WORST OF” List

Below are the shows with the worst records of hiring women and minority directors for the 2014-2015 television season. Shows that are BOLDED also appeared on the DGA’s “Worst Of” lists last year:

Shows that hired women or minority directors for fewer than 15% of episodes (some of these shows didn’t hire a single woman or minority all season).

Title (Signatory Company/Network/Studio) – % of Episodes by Women or Minority Directors:

The following shows are highlighted for hiring women and minorities to direct at least 40% of episodes in the 2014-2015 production cycle. Shows that are BOLDED also appeared on the DGA’s “Best Of” list last year:

Shows that hired women or minority directors for at least 40% of episodes.

Title (Signatory Company/Network/Studio) – % of Episodes by Women or Minority Directors:

Shows that are primarily directed by only one director for the entire season were included in the overall data, but are not singled out in the lists above. Similarly, foreign series shot abroad with a significant number of episodes that were not covered by a DGA agreement were also not included in the lists above, but the episodes that were made under a DGA agreement were included in the overall statistics. The shows that meet either criteria include: The Big Bang Theory, Big Time in Hollywood Florida, Intruders, The League, Narcos, One Bad Choice, The Real Husbands of Hollywood, The Red Road, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Reign, Silicon Valley, Transparent, Two And A Half Men, and Undateable.

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